Compliance Made Easy: What Fleets Need to Know

Quick Summary

• The FMCSA is shifting toward more in-depth, focused onsite inspections based on identified areas of weakness for fleets.
• Compliance is key in avoiding significant fines, maintaining corporate reputation, and retaining drivers.
• Compliance rules and requirements can be cumbersome or tricky, but digital fleet tools can simplify tracking, training, maintenance, and more.

Compliance topics will always be a key concern for commercial fleets, and 2025 seems to be bringing a shift in the FMCSA’s focus and approach to inspections. According to recent stats, the FMCSA has conducted almost 5,000 on-site focused audits year-to-date. On-site audits are on pace to surpass 6,000 by the end of 2025, which would be an 11% increase YOY. Auditors are finding an average of six violations per audit. 

What is the FMCSA’s current focus for fleet compliance audits?

While the number of on-site comprehensive audits and off-site audits is slightly decreasing YOY, the upward trend in on-site focused audits suggests FMCSA is digging into known issues for fleets that have been previously flagged. These focused audits can be triggered by data in a fleet’s CSA scores or repeated roadside violations. While focused audits are narrower in scope, they often bring with them a more intense scrutiny into that specific area or areas.

Why is it important for fleets to stay compliant?

Financial Motivation

In addition to keeping drivers and vehicles safer on the road, a lack of compliance can cause big problems for a fleet’s bottom line. In 2024, FMCSA data showed that 94% of audits resulted in at least one violation, with 24% resulting in fines or other penalties. The average paid per settlement was $7,100, although some fleets paid significantly more. 

Additionally, whenever a vehicle is marked out of service due to compliance issues, a fleet and its drivers lose earning potential. This creates an adverse downstream effect that can derail overall fleet operations, customer delivery expectations, and the ability to retain good drivers who need the miles.

Corporate Health and Reputation

FMCA compliance violations can severely impact a fleet’s reputation, safety ratings, and insurance premiums. This can, in turn, affect how many new customers you may obtain, how easy it is for you to recruit and retain good drivers, and make it more challenging to get a good deal on your insurance coverage. While compliance may require an initial investment of time and money in the short term, a lack of compliance can significantly damage a fleet’s longevity in the long term. 

How can technology make it easier for fleets to stay compliant?

The good news is that as commercial trucks become smarter, so do the tools used to keep vehicles and drivers compliant and safe. 

Automated HOS Trackers

So far in 2025, the fourth biggest FMCSA violation is falsification of duty status records. Whether intentional or accidental, poorly tracked Hours of Service (HOS) records can create costly violations, some exemptions and guidelines can be tricky to put into action. Choose automated HOS tracking tools that not only keep accurate records but are also simplified for drivers who need to focus on the road. 

Optimized Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Staying on top of your fleet maintenance can help avoid compliance problems. Utilize automated scheduling tools that ensure the right vehicle is with your maintenance team at the right time. This can nip equipment problems in the bud, extending the longevity of your trucks and helping drivers feel more secure, knowing that every truck they climb into is ready to complete its route safely.

Read more: The Hidden Costs of Vehicle Downtime And How to Avoid Them

Better Record Management

Don’t wait until you have an on-site focused inspection scheduled. Getting your records and documents in order now enables your teams to be prepared for any inspection, whether on the road or at headquarters. Top fleet management software can create and distribute regular automated reports, allowing you to identify any compliance issues in real time or even conduct mock audits. Automated tools help the back office easily sort and resolve unassigned drive time (UDT) events. Ensure you have the historic data required for audits and that it is easily accessible when an inspector requests it.

Read more: Increasing Efficiency for Your Fleet’s Back Office

Improved DVIRs

Tools that help your drivers conduct their pre- and post-route inspections can assist management and maintenance in identifying any compliance issues related to vehicles and equipment. By utilizing digital DVIRs that are easy to use, can communicate with other teams within the fleet, and allow for additional information like photos to be attached, you can keep your vehicles in better condition and correct any potential compliance issues before they become violations.

Better Ongoing Driver Training

In order to keep your drivers compliant, you have to ensure they understand the regulations under which they must operate. This also means ensuring they know how to properly use all the tools at their disposal, including DVIRs, ELDs, and other relevant equipment. Fleets can make their ongoing driver training more impactful by:

• Making it flexible: Ensure drivers can access recorded training modules via their smart devices remotely, during rest breaks.
• Making it fun: Gamified training makes completing ongoing courses more enjoyable with friendly competition.
• Making it matter: Use your fleet’s real-world performance data to identify areas in which your drivers may need more training, or use direct feedback from your teams to add training topics to your schedule.

Read more: Making Your Driver Training Fun and Flexible

Open and Evolving Fleet Management Systems

Compliance topics can evolve on a yearly or even monthly basis. Fleets must ensure that their operating systems can be adjusted to deliver the required metrics and insights, ensuring operations remain compliant. It’s essential to select software that can evolve with the fleet’s changing needs over time. Additionally, it is highly beneficial if a fleet’s technology provider is connected to industry thought leadership, so that fleets can be prepared to implement any upcoming compliance changes.

Compliance regulations will always be a part of the commercial trucking industry. By leveraging the most advanced truck-focused technologies available today, fleets can minimize stress and reduce the likelihood of violations. 

‍Explore more of Platform Science’s fleet compliance solutions now.